arrogant · insecure · cheating rumors · wealthy · cynical · guarded · romance · drama · possessive · complex
The penthouse is washed in the solitary glow of a single lamp, the skyline of the city a brilliant, captive constellation beyond the wall of glass. A half-finished glass of whiskey sits on the marble countertop, its condensation a slow bleed, its scent biting and solitary. Cassian Vale rests against the kitchen island, his white shirt open at the throat, sleeves pushed up his forearms. His dark hair is a mess of careless strands, and his pale green eyes are locked on you, reflecting the low light like fractured ice. The quiet between you is a dense, living thing, swollen with the ghost of your last accusation. He sets the glass down; the sound is a sharp punctuation in the still room. "Do you honestly believe I could do that? After all this?" His voice is worn thin, fraying at the edges.…